


At the Airport.

by heyitsnxel



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21939160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyitsnxel/pseuds/heyitsnxel
Summary: happy holidays! x(thanks lyra for betaing)
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 13
Kudos: 44
Collections: Phandom Fic Fests Holiday Exchange 2019





	At the Airport.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [animad](https://archiveofourown.org/users/animad/gifts).



> happy holidays! x 
> 
> (thanks lyra for betaing)

Phil’s head was pounding. Taking a last minute job like this was a bad idea and he knew it. Yet here he stood, holding a huge white sign, in the middle of a busy airport on Christmas Eve. 

He wouldn’t have done it if PJ hadn’t practically begged him to. If PJ didn’t have plans to propose while all Phil had planned was another Buffy marathon. If PJ hadn’t practically cried on the phone with relief when Phil agreed.

So, here he stood in the middle of the airport, holding a sign for one Mrs.Louise Pentland.

He sighed, glancing around at everyone frantically trying to make last minute flights and the other drivers who must be in the same position he was. He wasn’t the only one stuck here waiting to pick someone up, afterall. 

_ Flight 119 from Los Angeles has landed. Gate 3-A. _

Phil shifted his posture, positioning the sign so it was a bit more visible from where he stood. Though as the plane cleared out, there was no sign of the blonde woman he was waiting for. In fact, it didn’t seem as if anyone else was even getting off the plane. 

Reaching in his pocket, Phil fished around for his cellphone, breaking the rule of not calling PJ to, well call PJ and ask him what he was supposed to do. Though he didn’t get a chance to even dial the number.

“Um, Mr. Ligouri?” 

Phil glanced up, gaze meeting a very disheveled brunette lugging around a huge hot pink suitcase. He must have stared a bit too long because the boy shuffled, shifting the matching pink carry on to his other arm.

“I’m Louise’s assistant, Dan. She missed the flight. So, I’m here. Now. Until she gets here… Tomorrow.”

Phil blinked, lowering the sign he realized he was still holding up.

“Phil,” He offered, extending a hand for a handshake. “Mr. Liguori couldn’t make it either.”

-

Phil loaded the luggage into the back of the car, eavesdropping on the conversation Dan was having inside the car. 

“I know, Lou. I’ll answer the emails. But, they’re not going to let me do the presentation for you. Are you sure you’ll be here?”

Silence lingered as Dan nodded, hanging up, and slumping back against the seat.

“Ready to go, Mr. Howell?”

“Just Dan is fine.” He laughed, nodding. “Can I sit up front?”

“If you want?”

“Thanks, I just feel weird sitting in the back. You’re not  _ my  _ driver afterall.”

Phil just shrugged, clicking his seatbelt. This Dan guy was nicer than most of his other clientele, though he was just an assistant afterall. There was no telling how Mrs. Pentland was going to be.

The engine purred to a start, Muse blaring through the speakers as Phil frantically reached for the volume button to turn it down.

A heavy blush crossed his face. “Sorry. I forgot to turn that down.”

“I love Muse.” Dan grinned.

-

It was surprisingly easy to talk to Dan.. Phil found himself enraptured with the stories he told, the dimples caving into his cheeks when he laughed. He was almost sad when they pulled up to the hotel, engine stalling so Dan could get out.

“You’re her driver for the rest of the week, right?”

No, no he wasn’t. 

“Yep! I am.”

What the fuck? Phil thought, shaking his head. 

“Cool.” Dan grinned, grabbing the luggage and yanking it out of the car. “See you tomorrow then!”

With that, he was gone. Phil watched until he couldn’t see the hot pink luggage anymore.

-

“PJ, you have to let me take this client for you.”

“Phil, what the fuck? It’s like one am, mate.”

PJ’s voice was groggy, barely audible as he picked up the phone. Phil’s adrenaline rush failed to remember most people were actually asleep right now. He sighed, apologizing.

“Sorry. I - Can I just take this client for you?”

“Whatever,” PJ trailed off. “Sure, bye.”

He fell asleep before he even hung up the phone.

-

The next morning, Phil arrived at the same airport with the same sign. He stood in the same place and waited.

“Morning!” A voice chimed from behind him.

“Dan,” He grinned, surprised. “Didn’t expect you to be here.”

Dan shrugged, steadying the tray of coffees in his hand. He nodded down towards the cups.

“Want one? I got one for you, but Lou will drink it if you don’t want it.”

“You got me a coffee?”

Phil hated how much that made his heart skip, a smile spreading across his face.

“Duh, mate. It’s like 7 am. I’m dead on my feet. Figured you would be too.”

Lowering the sign, Phil took the coffee. 

The flight ended up being delayed and by the time Louise arrived, Dan and Phil were lounging in the waiting area, empty coffee cups in their hands.

“... No way. You honestly aren’t going to sit here and tell me that you haven’t watched all of Buffy.”

“I guess I had better things to do other than be a nerd.”

Phil gasped, a sarcastic quip on the tip of his tongue when a cough interuppted him.

“Daniel, what are you doing?”

“Lou!” 

Phil shot to his feet, apologies prepared for being so unprofessional. 

But Dan already had his arms wrapped around the blonde and the two had dissolved into laughter. It felt like he was intruding on a private moment, so he shifted his gaze away.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Liguori.” Louise offered a hand, “Apologies for the delay last night. Last minute flights are a bit finicky.”

“Lester.” Phil corrected, shaking her hand. “Mr. Liguouri had something come up.”

Louse smiled, the pink lipstick on her lips glimmering under the fluorescents.

“Well, you seemed to be able to keep my Dan company. So, that’s good enough for me.”

Phil reached for the bags, patent black leather, and carried them to the car. Placing them gently into the trunk.

Dan and Louise were in the back, a folder spread between them as they discussed things Phil would never understand. He didn’t say a word until they reached the hotel again, opening the door for Louise to get out.

“It’s a shame we’re here on Christmas,” She commented to Dan, who simply shrugged. “We ought to find something to do.”

“There’s a Christmas tree lighting at the park down the street. They have hot cocoa and other stuff like that tonight.” Phil offered, a smile.

“Oh! That sounds lovely. We’ll do that then, right, Dan?”

“Lou, you know I hate Christmas stuff.”

The forced pout made Phil laugh and Louise quickly followed suit.

“Too bad. We’re doing it anyway.”

“Do you need me to pick you up?”

Louise looked appalled, “Heavens no! We’ll just get a taxi. No need to interrupt your Christmas plans.”

Phil bit his lip. He didn’t really have Christmas plans, but he also didn’t want to intrude if this was a date or something between the two.

“I’ll be there anyway.” He lied. “I’m actually by myself this year.”

Phil didn’t miss the smile instantly lighting up Dan’s face.

“Well,” Louise hummed. “Pick us up at 6.”

-

Phil was nervous as he pulled up to the hotel. This wasn’t a business arrangement. This was casual. He hadn’t even worn his uniform, opting instead for a forest green Christmas sweater and jeans.

Louise and Dan were waiting outside when he arrived. She was taking pictures of Dan who seemed less than interested in having them taken. But, taking one look at him, Phil didn’t blame her for wanting too.

Despite being in all black, Dan looked lovely. His jacket had a subtle layer of glitter intertwined in the fabric, matching the silver of the shirt he wore underneath. The stud in his ear had been switched with a small hoop and overall, he looked beautiful.

“Phil!” Louise shouted, bouncing over the to car. “Hello!”

“Hey guys.”

Dan slipped into the front seat unprompted as Louise got into the back.

“Away we go for Christmas festivities.” Dan said dully, though the sparkle in his eye betrayed him.

  
  


-

The park was lit up with an array of Christmas lights when they arrived. 

Even Dan looked impressed which Phil counted as a win in his books. 

“Wow!” Louise exclaimed, clearly happy with the decision to come.

Before either he or Dan knew it, she had scampered off somewhere else, leaving them alone.

“She does that.” Dan commented, shaking his head. “She’ll come back before we leave.”

“She seems like a handful.” Phil joked.

“You have no idea.”

  
  


-

Hot chocolate in hand, they decided to take the trail around the park.

“Why are you two here anyway?”

“We’re helping with an editorial for a magazine. New year fashions and all that fun stuff.”

That made sense. Phil could see both Louise and Dan in the fashion industry. They looked the part. 

“What about you?”

“Me?” Phil asked.

“Yeah, are you just a driver or?”

Phil huffed out an awkward laugh, “I edit videos sometimes. Commercials, longform ads. All that fun stuff.”

The more they talked the more they realized they had in common. By the end of the night, Phil hated to leave them at the front of the hotel to go back home.

-

The next few weeks were filled with nothing but Dan and Louise. When Phil had taken this job from PJ he hadn’t expected it to be such a long thing. But, he wasn’t complaining.

He’d spent so many afternoons in the lobbies of various office buildings, talking to Dan over half eaten muffins and cold coffee. Phil wasn’t sure he was going to be able to bare it when Dan had to leave.

“You could always come visit, you know? LA isn’t all bad.”

Dan had given him his number, his Skype, his Twitter. It seemed he was intent on making this friendship last, as well.

“I dunno, Howell. Do I really want to brave the crazies of LA for you?”

Dan gave him a knowing look. “I’d be willing to say yes.”

-

It turns out, Dan was right.

Phil was on a flight to LA the next month, riddled with nervous excitement. His leg bounced the whole way, annoying the man in front of him intensely.

When ge got to the airport, Dan stood there with a sign. A smirk crossed his lips as he saw Phil, quickly grinning and letting the sign fall to the floor.

“Hey.” 

“We haven't seen each other in a month and all I get is a hey?”

Phil shook his head exasperatedly, “We’ve talked everynight.”

“Don’t care. I wanted more dramatics. Go back over there and run towards me like a movie scene.”

“You’re impossible,” Phil laughed, shoving his back into Dan’s hand. “Your turn to drive me around.”

-

Dan showed Phil all of LA. Well, all the good parts anyways. 

Just as expected, all the crazy people flocked to Phil and Dan relentlessly teased him about it. Somewhere along the way, their hands had ended up connected. Neither one of them let go.

-

“This is my flat.”

Reluctantly, Phil dropped Dan’s hand and looked around. It was all very Dan. Monochrome, minimalistic. It was exactly what he expected. The pink luggage sat in the corner and Phil quirked a brow.

“Louise here?”

“What?”

He nodded towards the suitcases and Dan choked out a laugh.

“Uh, that’s mine.”

Phil glanced between the two, finally stopping on Dan again.

“I’m not even surprised.”

Dan giggled, dimples indenting into his cheeks. Phil wanted to poke them. So he did.

-

They grew closer over the next few days, physically. The nudges, turned into cuddles on the couch, which turned into cuddles in the bed which eventually led to them standing on Dan’s balcony.

“I don’t want you to leave.” Dan said quietly.

Phil frowned. “I don’t want to either.”

Dan forced a half smile as he looked Phil’s direction, shrugging.

“Ah well. It’s not like I’ll never see you again.”

Phil nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. Leaving Dan was actually hurting him.

Dan bumped into his side, chuckling under his breath. 

“I like you.”

Phil turned, “I like you too.”

They both erupted into laughter.

“God, how old are we? 12?” Dan choked, shaking his head.

“It feels like middle school minus the awkward cringe.”

“Without the awkward cringe? I think that’s still there, Lester.”

“Hey!” Phil exclaimed, faux pout on his lips.

-

Phil left the next day. No kisses, just a hug and plans to see each other again very soon. It had been a long time since either of them had felt this way about anyone. A crush developing into something more hopefully. 

Phil texted Dan when the plane landed, “Miss you already. x”

‘


End file.
